Braiding machine



Patented Dec. 29, 3925.

Lssaen} OTTO A. FREDERIGKSON, 0F WETHEHSFEEZJD, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE AMERICAN WIREMOLD COMPANY. OF I-IAETFQRD, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION.

OF CONN ECTICUT.

BnAInrne MACHINE.

AppIication filed February 11, 1925.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Orro A. Fnnnnmonson, a citizen of the United States, residing at VVethersfield, county of Hartford, and State of Connecticut, have invented an improvement in Braiding Machines, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like characters on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention relates to braiding machines, and more particularly to the construction of the inner yarn carriers and the means for supporting these carriers as they travel in a circular path.

Heretofore braidingmachines have been commonly constructed to support the inner yarn masses so that the longitudinal axis oi the masses extends radially or approxi mately radially toward the central axis of the braiding machine. has the advantage that a relatively large number of inner yarn carriers may be operated in a braiding machine of a given diameter, as the carriers are relatively narrow and may be operated in close proximity. This construction however is open to the objection that the yarn is required to pass about several guides in traveling from the yarn mass to the braiding point, due to thefact that it unwinds from the yarn mass at right angles to the radius of the braiding machine.

Furthermore this type of braiding machine is not well adapted for use in braiders of small diameter employing a small number of inner carriers, since the radius of the braiding machine must of necessity be greater than the length of the radially disposed yarn masses.

To overcome these objections, one feature of the present invention resides in a braiding machine having inner carriers that are constructed to support the yarn masses with their axes extending transversely to the radius of the braiding machine, and in means for supporting these inner carriers.

By supporting the yarnmasses with their axes extending at right angles to the radius of the machine, the yarn travels in a more direct path to the braiding point as it unwinds; and furthermore the diameter of This construction Serial No. 8,411.

the braiding machine may be reduced, since a smaller space is needed between the main revolving drum and braiding point to accommodate the diameter of the yarn mass that is needed to accommodate the length of the yarn mass. inner yarn carriers have been provided heretofore with rollers at their outer end that extend into a groove formed in the inner face of the main revolving drum. The

use of such rollers is open to the objection above will be hereinafter described, in con-' nection with the accompanying drawings which illustrate a good practical form of the invention.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a plan view with parts broken away of portion of a braiding machine provided with inner carriers constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on line 22 of Fig. 1, and,

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the shoes of an inner yarn carrier extending into the supporting groove of,

the main revolving drum.

In the type or braiding machine shown the outer strands of yarn are led to the braid i ng point 10 from the yarn masses. 11. these masses in the form of bobbins,

cops or tubes may comprise braided or twisted cotton, linen or silk yarn wound upon cores 12 supported by posts 13 secured to the upper face of the ring This ring is secured to the upper edge of the main revolving drum 15.

The drum 15 has a central hub 16 and a laterally extending flange portion 17 that extends from the hub to the druin, and the hub 16 rotates about a fixed central tubular support 18 that is rigidly secured to and is supported in an upright position by the main frame 19.

Below the drum flange 17 is rotatably mounted the driving gear 20 having a hub 21 that surrounds the tubular support 18. This gear is shown as rotatably supported by anti-friction means consisting of balls 22 that lie in an annular roove formed in a fixed ring 23 secured to the main frame 19, and a similar groove formed in the lower face of the gear 20 receives the upper portion of the balls 22. The main revolving drum 15 is supported by the balls 2 1 which lie in the annular groove formed in the upper face of the ring 25 extending upwardly from the gear 20.

The gear 20 is provided with an upstanding sleeve 26 that is rotatably mounted upon the tubular support 18. and the sleeve 26 is rigidly secured to and is driven by the gear 20. This sleeve vxtends upwardly through the drum hub 16 and forms a hearing about which the hub rotates, and the sleeves serves to support and rotate the driver frame 27 that is rigidly secured to its upper end.

The inner strands of yarn are led to the )raiding point 10 from the inner yarn masses 28, which, like the outer yarn masses, may be in the form of bobbins, cops or tubes, wound on cores supported by spindles 29.

In accordance with the present invention, the yarn masses 28 are supported by inner yarn carriers 30 so that the axis of each yarn mass extends transversely to the radius of the drum 15. To this end the carriers are made relatively wide so that they form a frame having an opening 31 large enough to receive the yarn mass 28, and the ends of the spindle 29 are mounted in suitable supports 32 provided at the opposite sides of the inner carriers.

The inner yarn carriers 30 are supported to travel in a horizontal plane about the axis of the braiding machine, and in accordance with the present invention the outer end of each carrier is supported by a shoe or by shoes 33 that extend into and slide in the annular groove 34 formed in the inner wall of the main revolving drum 15. Since the carriers 30 shown are relatively wide, each carrier is provided with a pair of supporting shoes 38, one at the front or leading side and the other at the rear or trailing side. The shoes 33 are shown as secured to lugs projecting outwardly from the carriers into slots formed in the shoes, and the shoes are pivotally secured to the lugs by pins 35, the arrangement being such that each shoe may rock slightly relatively to its carrier to conform to the curve of the inner wall of the groove The pivotal connection between the shoes and their carriers, while desirable in many cases, is not an essential feature of the invention, and if desired the shoes may be rigidly secured to the carriers. The shoes 33 preferably lie in the central horizontal plane of the inner carriers, as shown, so that they will take the outward thrust of the inner carriers produced by centrifugal force.

The inner end of the carriers 30, in the construction shown, are supported by rollers 36 mounted to rotate in slots formed in the carriers, and the rollers 36 rest upon a raceway comprising a fixed ring 37 supported by a stationary disk or gear 38 rigidly secured to the upper end of the tubular support 18.

During the braiding operation the inner and outer yarn masses are caused to travel in opposite directions, as is usual, and in order to advance the outer yarn masses in one direction, the drum flange 17 has a gear or annular rack 39 rigidly secured to its lower face. A bevel gear 10 secured to a driving shaft 41 meshes with and drives the gear 39. The shaft ll is rotatably supported by the main frame 19 and is provided with the usual fast and loose pulleys. The bevel gear 10 also meshes with and drives the gear 20 in an opposite direction to the rotation of the main drum 15, and the rotative movement of'the gear 20 is imparted to the driver frame 27 through the sleeve 26.

Rotative movement of the driver frame 27 is imparted to the inner carriers 30 by push rolls 42 that engage rolls 43 journaled upon the outer portion of the carriers 30. The push rolls 42 are advanced in the path of a circle by the driver frame 27 and push the inner carriers around their circular path.

The inner yarn carriers are caused to pass alternately over and under the strands 11 of outer yarn and to this end each outer yarn passes through a guide at the outer end of a pivoted shifter 44, and these shifters are raised and lowered in a well known manner by shoes sliding in the cam groove 45. Vertical slots 46 formed in the drum 15, and through which the yarns 11 pass permit the yarns to be raised and lowered above and below the inner carriers. The push rolls 12 are secured to shafts 17 driven by gears 418 that mesh with the teeth of the stationary gear 88, the arrangement being such that the push rolls are positively rotated to facilitate passage of the outer yarns 11 between the cooperating rolls 12, 13.

As the strand of yarn 28 unwinds from the inner yarn mass 28, it passes to a guide and tension device 49, and through the yarn engaging element 50 of an electric stop mechanism, and then to the braiding point 10. A contact element 51 of the electric stop mechanism slides against the inner face of a downwardly extending flange of the ring 141.

By mounting the inner yarn masses 28 so smoothly over the vertical slots, and as aresult the inner carriers travel smoothly about their raceway and no hammeringor thumping efiect is produced by the passage of the shoes over the slots 46, even when these slots are made relatively wide to permit the yarns 11 to pass freely therethrough. As the braid is formed at the braiding point 10 it passes upwardly through the braiding sleeve 52. Y The shoes 33 may be formed of different metals and other materials, and shoes formed of wood are found to work very satisfactory. The inner yarn carriers merely rest floatingly upon the run-way 37 and may be easily removed from and returned to their operating position. i

hat is claimed is 1. In a braiding machine, the combination of a revolving drum having an annular groove formed in its inner face to open inwardly and having vertical slots formed through its wall in intersecting relation with the groove to provide passages for the outer yarns, inner yarn carriers that travel in a horizontal plane and each constructed to support a yarn mass with its axis transverse to the drum radius, a race-way for supporting the inner end of the carriers, a pair of shoes for supporting the outer end of each carrier and secured to the carrier in horizontal spaced relation to slide in said groove across said slots, each shoe having a bearing face that is sufficiently long to slide smoothly over said slots, and means for traveling the carriers in the horizontal plane.

2. In a braiding machine, the combination of a revolving drum having an annular groove formed in its inner face to open inwardly and having vertical slots formed through its wall in intersecting relation with the groove to provide passages for the outer yarns, inner yarn carriers constructed to support the yarn masses, a race-way for supporting the inner end of the carriers, a pair of shoes constructed to extend into said slot to support the outer end of each carrier, means for pivotally securing one shoe to the front portion of the carrier and the other shoe to the rear portion of the carrier so that each shoe has a limited rocking movement to conform to the curved wall of the groove, each shoe having a bearing surface that is long enough to slide smoothly over said slots,jand means for traveling the carriers.

3. In a braiding machine, the combination of a revolving drum having an annular groove formed in its inner face to open inwardly, relatively wide inner yarn carriers constructed to support yarn masses with their axes transverse to the drum radius, a race-way for supporting the inner end of the carriers, a pair of rollers secured to each carrier upon opposite'sides of its centre line to roll upon the race-way and support the inner end of the carrier, a pair of shoes for supporting the outer end of eachcarrier disposed upon the opposite sides of said centre line to slide in said groove and adapted to take the outward centrifugal thrust of the traveling carriers, and means for traveling the carriers. I

4. In a braiding machine, the combination of a revolving drum having an annular groove formed in its inner face to open inwardly and having vertical slots formed through its wall in intersecting relation with the groove to provide passages for the outer yarns, inner yarn carriers that travel in a horizontal plane and each constructed to support a yarn mass with its axis transverse to the drum radius, a race-way for supporting the inner end of the carriers, shoes for supporting the outer end of the carriers and formed with a protruding edge that extends into said groove to slide smoothly therein over said slots and constructed to be inserted radially into the groove, and means for traveling the carriers.

5. In a braiding machine, the combination of a revolving drum having an annular groove formed in its inner face, inner yarn carriers that travel in ahorizontal plane and constructed to support yarnmasses, a race-way for supporting the inner end of the carriers, shoes for supporting the outer end of the carriers and constructed to slide in said groove, means for pivotally securing the shoes to their carriers so that they may rock relative to the carriers sufficiently to conform to the curved wall of said groove and slide smoothly over said vertical slots, and means for traveling the carriers.

6. In a braiding machine, the combination of a revolving drum having an annular groove formed in its inner face to open inwardly and having vertical slots formed thru its wall in intersecting relation with the groove to provide passages for the outer yarns, inner yarn carriers that travel in a horizontal plane, a race-way for supporting the inner end of the inner carriers, a pair of spaced shoes for supporting the outer end of each carrier and extending from the carrier into said groove in the central horizontal planeof the carriers, each shoe having a bearing surface that is sufficiently long to slide smoothly over the vertical slots to take the outward thrust of the rotating carriers, and means for traveling the carrier.

7. In a braiding machine, the combination of an outer revolving drum having an annular bearing surface form {d at its inner face and having vertical slots formed thru its wall in intersecting relation with said bearing surface to provide passages for the outer yarns, inner yarn carriers that travel in a horizontal plane within said drum, a race-way for supporting the inner end of the inner carriers, spaced shoes at the outer end of each carrier extending from the carrier in approximately the horizontal plane of the axis of the inner yarn mass into sliding engagement with said bearine surface to take the outward thrust of the traveling carrier, each shoe having suiiicient length to slide smoothly over the vertical slots and means for traveling the carriers.

8. In a braiding machine, the combination of an outer revolving drum having an annular bearing surface at its inner face and having vertical slots formed thru its wall in intersecting relation with said bearing sur face to provide passages for the outer yarns, outer and inner yarn carriers, means for supporting the inner yarn carriers to travel in said drum, including a race-way for supporting the inner end of the inner carriers,

spaced shoes at the outer end of each carrier for slidablv engaging said bearing surface each shoe being of sufficient length to slide smoothly over said slots, and means for ad vancing the inner carriers around their path of travel.

9. In a braiding machine, the combination of an outer revolving drum having an annular bearing surface at its inner face and having vertical slots formed thru its wall in intersecting relation with said bearing surface to provide passages for the outer yarns, inner yarn carriers that travel in a horizontal plane within said drum, a raceway for supporting the inner end of the inner carriers, bearing means at the outer end of each inner yarn carrier lying in the horizontal plane of the axis of the inner yarn mass to take the outward centrifugal thrust of the carrier, consisting of bearings disposed at the opposite sides of the central vertical plane passing thru the inner carrier and braiding point and in spaced relation to said plane and to each other to slidably engage said annular bearing surface, and means for advancing the inner carriers around their path of travel.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

OTTO A. FREDERICKSON. 

